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Marion Jones Posts Video Showing Severe Mobility Struggles Linked to Neuromyelitis Optica

She received the diagnosis in 2020 following a career later marred by stripped Olympic medals.

Overview

  • The 50-year-old former sprinter shared Instagram footage showing difficulty descending stairs, moving sideways one step at a time while gripping a handrail.
  • She wrote that her knees are "hanging by a thread" while noting she is still on her feet.
  • Coverage attributes her walking problems to neuromyelitis optica, a rare autoimmune disease that damages central nervous system cells and commonly involves the optic nerves and spinal cord.
  • Jones first disclosed the condition publicly through social media posts that highlight pronounced mobility impairment.
  • Her athletic legacy includes five Sydney 2000 medals later revoked for doping, followed by a prison term and financial difficulties that frame the public response to her latest update.